Birdzeye -
I have to comment about the automated porch light...
I HATE having lights glaring in my window at night. Night is supposed to be dark. (I live in a rural area) Not to mention how wasteful it is to leave hundreds of watts of lights burning outside all night. It is nice, however, if I come home after dark, not to trip on the stairs and take 10 minutes trying to unlock the door, feeling around in the dark.
The X10 solution fits the bill perfectly. Add a keychain remote, and you can turn the light on before the motion trips it... Now that's perfect!